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| An American flag flies outside the Department of Justice in Washington. (Photo from AP File Photo/Andrew Harnik) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: The Philippines on Saturday welcomed the US Department of States’ report that maintained the country’s Tier 1 status in battling human trafficking — the highest among four classifications. This came after the US Department of States in 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report lauded the Philippines for continuing to meet the minimum standards of the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 in eliminating human trafficking, PH Inquirer reported.
This is the seventh consecutive year the country has gotten a Tier 1 rating. “The Philippines reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, and its Tier 1 ranking acknowledges its relentless and comprehensive efforts to prevent trafficking in persons, protect victims, and prosecute the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement. According to DFA, the US State Department’s report is an acknowledgment of the whole-of-government approach by the DFA and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in their pursuit to proactively prevent trafficking in persons.
It then assured that the country’s government will continue to work with partners in civil society and the international community to enhance and improve policies, legislation, and mechanisms to further reduce and eliminate the crime of trafficking in persons.
